About loneliness

Loneliness is a subjective condition that is perceived by those affected as painful, negative and persistent. Ultimately, the existing relationships do not meet personal wishes and needs. Because there is a lack of fulfilling connections, those affected do not feel perceived and seen.

Psychology distinguishes between two basic forms of loneliness: in emotional loneliness, there is a lack of trustworthy caregivers with whom one feels connected. Social loneliness occurs when those affected fundamentally lack social relationships.

Being alone is not the same as loneliness. You can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely, but you can also be alone and feel happy. Anyone who consciously chooses to be alone is acting in a self-determined way.

Loneliness is a social taboo that people are often ashamed of and don't like to talk about. The feeling of loneliness - like many other feelings - is difficult to put into words. It is completely normal to find yourself in situations where you feel lonely. It is crucial that this unpleasant feeling does not become a permanent condition. That's why information, education and services are important.

In the Stuttgart Survey 2023, Stuttgart residents were asked about their feelings of loneliness for the first time. The results show: Around 58,000 people aged 16 and over in Stuttgart feel lonely, which corresponds to 11.6 percent of the city's population. These people are presumably unhappy because they lack familiar contacts and relationships, often feel abandoned and feel too little closeness and security.

The "Loneliness Barometer" of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth came to the following conclusion in 2024: almost eight million people in Germany felt lonely in 2021. Women, single parents, the unemployed, the sick and people with migration and refugee experience are particularly affected. Overall, the perceived loneliness in the population has risen sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, especially among younger people. The  Loneliness Barometer 2024 (opens in a new tab) is a long-term analysis for which data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) from 1992 to 2021 was evaluated. Adults aged 18 and over were included.

The European Commission has also investigated how widespread this feeling is in Europe: In 2022, 25,000 people across Europe were surveyed on the topic of loneliness. More than a third of respondents feel lonely at least sometimes, and around 13% even feel lonely most of the time, according to the results of the  pilot study "Loneliness in the European Union" (opens in a new tab). Young people are particularly affected, including an above-average number of girls and women.

Loneliness has many faces: however, the evaluation of the Stuttgart Survey 2023 by the state capital's statistical office shows that there are certain risk factors that promote loneliness in Stuttgart. People with a migration background and people with health problems and limited material resources are particularly affected. The Stuttgart Survey 2023 thus confirms the  results of the survey evaluation from 2021 (opens in a new tab) on the groups of people in Stuttgart particularly affected by loneliness.

Loneliness is not a question of age: according to experts, loneliness can occur at all stages of life. Particularly vulnerable phases in life are young adulthood from 18 to 29 years and old age from 80 years onwards.

Scientific studies show: What is experienced as a cause of loneliness depends on social developments and participation on the one hand and on personal events and attitudes on the other. How loneliness feels and what triggers it therefore varies from person to person. Loneliness knows no age limits and is a problem for society as a whole.

The causes of loneliness are varied: private changes such as moving to another city or abroad, a career change or children moving out can lead to loneliness. Personal strokes of fate such as the end of a relationship, illness, the need for care or the loss of relatives also play a role. As digitalization progresses, many social interactions are shifting to the virtual world and direct personal contact is becoming rarer.

Loneliness can make you ill: The condition has an impact on mental and physical health. The longer the feeling lasts, the more difficult it becomes to find a way out alone. It is particularly problematic when loneliness becomes permanent and chronic. Finding a way out seems increasingly difficult for those affected, but it is possible, as the offers on this website show.

Loneliness is a social challenge: studies show that loneliness is associated with less trust in state structures. Lonely people also participate less in political life. Loneliness is therefore also a threat to social cohesion. And the search for connection can make people susceptible to conspiracy ideologies and anti-democratic forces.

The  Loneliness Barometer 2023 (opens in a new tab) provides an overview of the causes and consequences. The Loneliness Competence Network has analyzed data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) for this purpose.

The city of Stuttgart provides support with a wide range of services , enabling people to take their first steps out of loneliness. It supports its citizens in finding cohesion and establishing a new network of contacts in the city. Open and non-binding offers that are nevertheless designed to last are important.

Many partners and institutions take part in the initiative and open a wide variety of doors - for personal encounters, advice, joint learning, sport and entertainment. Call the offers or drop by directly, whether you are lonely or not, alone or together. Your contact persons in the institutions look forward to your visit and your questions.

Since 2022, the German government has been developing a "Strategy against Loneliness" under the leadership of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). It aims to shed more light on the topic of loneliness in Germany both politically and scientifically. The  strategy against loneliness (opens in a new tab), which comprises more than 100 measures to strengthen social interaction, was adopted in December 2023.

The  Loneliness Competence Network (KNE) (opens in a new tab) is part of the federal strategy. The project is run by the Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy and is funded by the BMFSFJ. The website offers numerous publications and expert reports on the topic, a nationwide overview of services to combat loneliness and information on events.

The Stuttgart Strategy against Loneliness has been working with the Loneliness Competence Network since the beginning. In the state capital, there is now a strong network of politicians, administration, civil society and business. The aim is to create good structures for prevention, intervention and  networking in Stuttgart.